Latest news

Police reminder over 999 emergency line after ice cream complaint

Police are reminding members of the public to only dial 999 in an emergency after a woman called officers to report a lack of sprinkles on her ice cream.

A woman called the force yesterday (June 2) to complain about a lack of topping on her tasty treat and today officers are reminding people to only dial 999 during an emergency.

Listen to the full call below.

Chief Superintendent Jim Andronov, head of the force’s Contact Centre, said: “Typically West Midlands Police receive over 1500 calls a day to the 999 number and our operatives have to deal with each one accordingly.

“Of these, some 10 to 20 per cent are not police matters and around 50 per cent are non-emergency calls where contact is appropriate via the 101 number.

“As well as the bizarre calls police also receive deliberate hoax calls which take up vital time.

“It’s astonishing listening to them but they hide a serious truth. Each call often takes minutes to deal with as staff have to clarify the situation - it might not sound like much but, if someone is trying to get through to report a genuine life or death emergency, then a minute is a very long time to wait.

“I cannot stress enough that the 999 number is for emergencies only, for guidance this is defined as: a crime is in progress, someone suspected of a crime is nearby, when there is danger to life or when violence is being used or threatened.

“We do not want to discourage people from contacting the police so for any other reason call 101."

An investigation into a brawl at a charity boxing match in Wolverhampton has led to three men being charged with affray.

Benji Groom, aged 28, of Prestwood Avenue, Wednesfield; Michael Spruce, aged 27, of Attlee Road, Walsall and Adam Hayes, aged 33 of Wood Hayes Croft, Wolverhampton, were charged last week by detectives investigating reports of punches being thrown at the event at the Civic Hall on 18 October at around 11pm.

Police in Birmingham are appealing for information following an armed robbery which took place at a cash and carry in Highgate in the early hours of this morning (Tuesday 31 March).

Three masked men, one carrying a handgun, forced their way into East End Foods in Darwin Street, just after midnight. They threatened staff, smashed a window to the cashier desk and fired a gun into a wall as a warning.

A Coventry barber has been jailed for eight years for the rape of a student after a night out celebrating her friend’s birthday.

Gena Assumini was arrested last May after the woman, now aged 22, reported to medical staff, and subsequently police, that she had been attacked while attending a party at a house in the Hillfields area of the city.

Police in Birmingham are appealing for information after a video – currently circulating on social media – appears to show a man being assaulted outside the Jury’s Inn in Broad Street.

Despite comments on the video saying the assault happened this weekend and that it is religiously motivated, officers are keen to stress the video appears to have been first uploaded at least six months ago and that the motivation for the attack remains unclear.

A homeless man has been jailed for seven years after admitting grooming a Walsall schoolgirl and inciting her to begin a sexual relationship.

Banti Singh was arrested by police in Bloxwich in September last year after the 14-year-old girl’s family raised concerns with officers about her behaviour and contact she was having with an older man.

Police are appealing for witnesses after a three-year-old girl was in collision with a taxi in Lozells, Birmingham.

The collision took place in Gerrard Street, Lozells around 8.30pm Sunday 29 March.

A Volkswagen Passat private hire vehicle was in collision with a four-year-old girl. The child was taken to Birmingham Children’s Hospital with serious internal and head injuries and her condition is described as serious but stable.